Inside the Doctor's Mind
by AlphaBunny
Summary: Rose must take trip into the Doctor's mind as he fights the doubts and fears of losing her to himself. We do not own Doctor Who or Inception or (sadly) any of the characters in the show and movie. *Sniffle*
1. Doubts and Regection

**Disclaimer; We own neither Doctor Who or Inception**

* * *

Rose woke up, disorientated, on the TARDIS floor. She raised her head to see the Doctor pull a lever on the TARDIS' control panel as it thrummed.

"What happened?" She asked, confused.

"Don't you remember?" He replied, glancing at her. _Please tell me you remember._

"It's like…" She thought hard, "There was this…singing,"

"That's right, I sang a song and the Daleks' ran away!" The Doctor joked, although Rose could tell there was something wrong._ I guess her mind needs time to cope._

"I was at home," She rubbed her forehead as she thought hard. "No, I was in the TARDIS and…there was this light. I can't remember anything else." She noticed him looking at his hand, a somber look on his face.

"Rose Tyler," He said, looking at her. He exhaled sharply, smiling. _This is it._ "I was going to take you to so many places. Barcelona! Not the city Barcelona, the planet Barcelona. You'd love it, fantastic place. They've got dogs with no noses! Imagine how many times you a day you end up telling that joke and it's still funny!" His laugh was bordering on manic now, and Rose looked at him curiously. _How am I supposed to tell her?_

"Then why can't we go?" She asked.

"Maybe you will, and maybe I will, but not like this." He looked at the monitor, still smiling falsely.

"You're not making sense," Rose told him, standing up.

"I might never make sense again. I might have two heads, or no head! Imagine me with no head! And don't say that's an improvement," When he looked at her again, his expression was serious. "But, it's a bit dodgy, this process. You never know what you're gonna end up as."

The Doctor clutched his stomach, grunting as a burst of light shot from all over his body. Rose stepped forward with a cry of 'Doctor!'

"Stay away!" He warned her, his face contorted in pain.

"Tell me what's going on," She said urgently.

"I absorbed all of the energy of the Time Vortex and no-one's meant to do that." His voice was still light and cheery. "Every cell in my body's dying,"

"Can't you do something?" Rose asked desperately.

"Yeah, I'm doin' it now," He replied, "Time Lords have this little trick, sort of a way of cheating death. Except, it means I'm gonna change and I'm not gonna see you again. At least not like this, not with this daft old face," He said, chuckling slightly. _Why did I not tell her before?_

"And before I go-,"

"Don't say that!" Rose said, cutting over him. Maybe if he didn't talk, if he didn't say those awful words, then it wouldn't be true, and the Doctor would be okay. He'd tell her he was joking, laugh at her horrified expression, give her a hug and they'd whizz off in the TARDIS to a new planet. They could go to Barcelona, like he'd suggested.

"Rose," He said her name with such softness that it made her want to cry. "Before I go I just want to tell you that you were fantastic, absolutely fantastic," He cocked his head, smirking._ I will miss you so much._ "And d'you know what? So was I!" Rose smiled slowly, as if his grin was infectious. Suddenly his arms and legs stiffened and a great yellow light burst from his head and hands. _Please let me become someone she will love._ Rose had to cover her eyes the intensity was so great. When her eyes adjusted she slowly lowered her arm to see brown hair sprout from the Doctor's scalp as the light disappeared and there was a new man where the Doctor had been standing. He was thinner, with brown hair that seemed to have a mind of its own, with brown eyes to match.

"Hello oka- Ooh, new teeth. That's always weird," He didn't even seem to notice that Rose was practically cowering against one of the pillars, "So, where was I," He looked at her and grinned. "Oh yeah, Barcelona," He skipped over to the TARDIS' control panel and pressed a few buttons, pulling the odd lever._ Just keep moving._

"Tuesday, October, 5006 on the way to Barcelona!" Rose thought she should say something to this strange man. That they should maybe wait for the Doctor, where ever he'd gone. She felt slightly angry that he'd left her with this over-excited man and not even told her where he'd gone. She didn't want to say anything however, because it could provoke him.

"Now then, what do I look like?" He asked before thrusting his hand in the air to stop her saying anything.

"No, no, no, no no no, no, no, no, no. No. Don't tell me. Let's see... two legs, two arms, two hands..." He rotated his wrist. "Slight weakness in the dorsal tubercle," He observed before shoving his hands through his hair, "Hair! I'm not bald, ooh, big hair!" He slid his hands down the sides of his head. "Sideburns, I've got sideburns!" He cried delightedly. His now even more messed up hair made him seem more erratic. "Little bit thinner..." He slapped his stomach. "That's weird. Give me time, I'll get used to it," He looked up at her, serious for the first time since his appearance. "I... have got... a mole. I can feel it. Between my shoulder blades, there's a mole." He grinned again. "That's all right. Love the mole!" He turned towards her fully. "Go on then, tell me. What do you think?" He ignored the doubt that began to appear when he realized Rose hadn't spoken a single word. _Please like me. It's still me. Rose...please..._

"Who are you?" She asked timidly. He looked at her like she was the crazy one.

"I'm the Doctor," Rose shook her head in disbelief.

_"Please Rose, believe me. I need you to believe me."_ The Doctor thought in anguish.

"No, where is he?" Her voice grew stronger, more confident. "Where's the Doctor? What've you done to him?" She accused.

"You saw me, I changed. Right in front of you," He pointed to the space behind him.

_Rose..._

The doubt she was expressing broke his hearts. _Please...I'm still me._

"I saw him sort of…explode. And then you replaced him, like a…" She struggled to find the words. "A teleport, or a transmit, or a body swap or something," She walked forwards, pushing him gently on the chest. He bobbed on his feet. "You're not fooling me; I've seen all sorts of things. Nanogenes, Gelth, Slitheen," He said nothing, just stared at her and she gasped. "Oh, my God, are you Slitheen?" She asked. _Oh my fantastic Rose..._

"I'm not a Slitheen," He told her.

"Send him back, I'm warning you, send the Doctor back right now!"

"Rose, it's me. Honestly, it's me, I was dying. To save my own life I changed my body, every single cell but still me," He pleaded with her, willing his voice not to break.

_Oh Rassilion Rose...please...believe me._

"You can't be," She said, her voice breaking slightly.

Stabs of pain went through both of his hearts. He buried his pain behind sealed doors.

_Ok...one last chance..._

"Then how could I remember this?" He stepped forward, and for some reason Rose didn't step back, or run away screaming, although, she was in the TARDIS, so she had no idea where she'd end up if she did. The TARDIS may be bigger on the inside, but it wouldn't take this man that claimed he was the Doctor long to catch her.

"Then how can I remember this?" His voice turned low and husky as he looked deep into her eyes, trying to hide the pain from his own. "The very first word I ever said to you, trapped in that cellar, surrounded by shop-window dummies. Ooh, such a long time ago, I took your hand," His fingers weaved through hers as he took her small hand in hers. "I took your hand, and I said one word. Just one word," Rose felt her heartbeat increase until she thought it would beat right out of her chest.

"I said, 'Run!'" There was a fire in his eyes, one that Rose had seen in the Doctor's eyes, and that made her sure that this man really was him.

"Doctor," She said, raising a hand to his face.

_Oh thank Rassilion_

"Hello," He said. She breathed in the leather, and his new smell. It smelled like spice, time, space and something she couldn't put a name to.

He pulled away and ran around the Tardis.

_"Everything is going to be fine!"_ He thought, his hope rising.

"Oh, we never stopped, did we; all across the universe, running, running, running. And that one time we had to hop. D'you remember, hopping for our lives? Yeah? Remember hopping for your life? Yeah? Hop, where they… no?" He stopped hopping after he noticed that she remained far away from him.

_"Rose? What's wrong?"_ He thought, fear and doubt creeping into his mind; it clenched his hearts painfully.

"Can you change back?" She asked.

The Doctor barely held back a flinch from the knife she dug into his hearts.

"Do you want me to?" He looked disappointed.

_She doesn't like me...she doesn't want me..._

"Yeah" She trailed off, still staring at him. "Can you?"

"No," He said, choking a bit on the emotions he was holding back.

_"I'm going to lose her..."_ he thought, pain and fear and doubt spreading through his body.

"So, do you want to leave?" He asked and he hoped that she would say no as his hearts sank faster into their old, cold cell.

"Do you want me to leave?" He shook his head.

"No!" He said quickly, "But…it's your choice, if you want to go home."

_Rose...say no...stay with me, I need you._

**_"She's going to say yes and you know it."_** A dark voice echoed in his head.

He barely held back the fresh wave of tears that hit him. He turned his focus back to Rose.

"Back to Mum and Mickey?" she asked consideration in her eyes.

The knives dug deeper as he read the unsaid 'and away from you?'

"Ok, cancel Barcelona. Putting in Earth, Powell Estates...uh...December 24th, consider it a Christmas gift," he said, stepping back and holding his chest, hoping that it would help ease the pain in his hearts.

There was a soft thud and Rose looked out the doors before running to her room to pack.

_This is it...she's leaving...but...she promised forever..._

He clenched his eyes shut, willing the tears not to fall. He'd rather be put through the time war again then face this pain.

_**You're an idiot. You should have never fallen in love.**_

_**Yes, you don't deserve love or happiness. You killed your own kind and others in the galaxy.**_

_Stop..._

**_What? Can't handle the truth that no one wants you? No one needs you?_**

His thoughts were broken when Rose walked through the door carrying a back pack and two luggage bags. He stared at the floor as pain rushed through his body. His knuckles turned white and his face contorted into pain. Rose ignored him and walked out of the door. As soon as he heard the door click shut he fell onto the floor and pulled his legs to his chest. He wrapped his arms around them and buried his face into his knees. His body shook with sobs.

_She didn't want me..._

**_No one wants you._**

_She left..._

_**They all do.**_

_What did I do wrong?_

_**You were created! You destroyed your home and others that were in the way! You didn't keep your emotions locked away! You fell in love! You don't deserve happiness!**_

More sobs shook the Doctor and the Tardis hummed, concerned for her friend. She opened her mental link with the Doctor but pulled back when the raw emotion of pain, fear, and doubt flooded the connection. She could tell that he was diving deeper into his mind, hoping to run from the pain. The Tardis stood by and watched him drive himself into a coma. His body fell to the right but remained in a loose ball. Tear stains were spread across his face. The Tardis hummed, hoping that she would get her call.


	2. Calling in Help

Rose was midway through unpacking, ignoring the pain and confusion she had. She was walking down the stairs when she felt the Tardis enter into her head. She has only experienced this a few times and they were only when the Tardis or Doctor was in trouble. She bolted down the stairs and saw the Tardis still parked by the building. The doors opened by themselves when she ran up to them. The sight that greeted her made her freeze with the guilt that flooded her body.

Rose stood there unable to move for a moment, guilt filling her; causing her single human heart to ache. The TARDIS humming brought her out of it; she hurried to the fallen man, the fallen Doctor. She moved to him one hand to cup his face, damp with tears. "Can you hear me?" she called to him shaking him slightly, tears filled her eyes when he didn't respond. She swallowed and tried again. "Doctor, Doctor. Its Rose can you hear me?" It felt odd calling him the Doctor, he didn't look anything like her Doctor.

The Doctor slowly opened his eyes, the dark brown orbs taking in the room. He sat up and saw nothing but darkness. "Where am I?" he questioned, his breath coming out in a visible puff due to the cold. He slowly stood up, ignoring the biting cold, and began to walk, looking for a clue to tell him where he was.

"Doctor please," Rose pleaded to the still unconscious man, "wake up for me, please." He hadn't moved, what did she do now? She had no idea what was going at all and she could feel panic creeping in.

Her mum would know what to do; she hoped she would any way. She quickly ran out of the Tardis then up the stair to the flat. Jackie had just returned from shopping, she had run into Mickey while out and he had offered to help her carry the bags back to the flat and to put things away. They both jumped when Rose burst through the door.

"Mum," Rose said border line hysteric.

"Rose, sweet heart what is it?"

"It's the Doctor, or least he says he's the Doctor, the other Doctor said he was going to change so I guess it is him, I don't know. But something happened and he passed out in the TARDIS and I can't get him to wake up, I don't know what to do mum." Rose had said all of this so fast that her mother and Mickey could hardly understand her; she had also said all this on one breath of air.

"Rose, Rose," her mother put her, "deep breath sweetheart."

Rose took in a shaking breath then another.

"What happened?" Mickey asked.

"The Doctor past out in the TARDIS and I can't get him to wake up, I don't know what to do."

"It'll be alright love," Jackie reassured her, "just take us to him."

Rose nodded then ran back out the door with Jackie and Mickey following her. She made it to the TARDIS and waited for them while holding the door open. Jackie and Mickey stepped inside and as they gaped at the place again, Rose hurried to the console platform where the Doctor still lay. "So where's the Doctor?" Mickey asked.

"This is him," Rose said.

"Him?" Jackie questioned, "How?"

"I don't know," Rose said it all still confused her, "he said before he changed that his people had this process like cheating death," a sudden thought accrued to her, "he, he said it was dodgy though, what if something went wrong, and that why he can't wake up." Rose had moved to knell beside him again and now looked up at them, tears forming in her blue eyes again.

"we'll figure it out Rose," Jackie said putting her hand on Rose's shoulder. "I have friend, he's a doctor maybe he can help." Rose looked at her mum questioningly, "when did you meet him?"

"While you were gone sometime. He kept me company."

"What kinda company?" Rose face then turned bright red, "no, never mind I don't want to know that."

"Rose..." Jackie started but changed her mind. "We should get him inside before I call him."

The three then moved the comatose Doctor out of the TARDIS and then up the stairs, into the flat and then finally into one of the spare bedrooms. After that Jackie left to the kitchen to phone her friend.


	3. The Team Plus One

Eames was sitting at a table in London, drinking tea at his favorite cafe when his phone rang. "Hello?" he said, answering his phone. He listened diligently to the person on the other end, making a few noises to let them know he was listening and understanding what they were saying. "I will be there in 30 minutes love," he answered, ending the call. He finished his tea then left to go to the flat he knew so well.

Jackie returned to the bedroom where Mickey was watching Rose who in turn was watch the new Doctor sleep.

"He said he would be her in half an hour."

"Thanks mum," Rose said softly with a slight smile.

"Perhaps you should go rest Rose, you look tired." Rose just nodded before leaving the room.

After a 30 minute drive, Eames knocked on the door to the flat. "You called my dear?" Eames asked as the door was open, flashing Jackie a smile.

Jackie smiled back at him, "It's good to see you," she said as she hugged him then moved so that he could come inside.

Eames came in and began to follow Jackie to the room where the unconscious Doctor was laying. Eames pulled out a stethoscope and began to listen to his chest.

"Let me call some friends of mine and see what I can do," Eames told Jackie. Eames walked down the hall and called Cobb.

"This is Cobb. What do you need Eames?" Cobb asked slightly irritated.

"Cobb, I need to call in a favor," Eames said before explaining the situation to Cobb.

"I will call Arthur, he is over in Paris currently so he can pick up Ari," Cobb told the other man.

"I'm sure you just need to call him to get both of them," Eames said, laughing before hanging up. "My team will be coming and be here by tomorrow morning at the latest."

"That's wonderful," Jackie said pausing amount before adding, "Really thank you for coming on such short notice, will you be needing a place to stay till your team arrives?"

Rose had moved back into the Doctor's room and was setting on the bed beside him. She borrowed the stethoscope once Eames had left the room and she checked both the Doctor's hearts. Only the left one was working; this troubled her.

Ari looked over at Arthur as his phone went off; she smiled at him. "You should probably get that."

Arthur grumbled before answering the phone. "Yes?"

"Arthur, Eames is calling in a favor, pack your bags and get to London. Let Ari know as well," Cobb instructed before hanging up. Arthur closed his phone and sighed.

"We need to make a trip to London."

Ari lay with her head on Arthur's chest, she snuggled a little closer to him under the blankets as he spoke on the phone. Her eyes had started to drift closed as he hung up, she sighed softly as the vibration of his voice started to lull her to sleep. "It can wait 5 minutes," she murmured.

Arthur kissed the top of Ari's head. "You're right."

Ari smiled and soon had fallen asleep using her boyfriend a pillow; he wrapped his arms around her and in no time fell asleep with her. It was about 30 extra minutes later that they woke again. Ari stirred slightly as she started to come around again.

Arthur mumbled in his sleep, subconsciously registering that Ari was awake.

Ari opened her eyes then slowly moved to where her face was only a few inches from Arthur's sleeping one. She smiled at him before moving, brushing her nose against his, kissing him lightly on corner of his mouth. "Arthur, we need to get up now," she said softly, nuzzling him again.

Arthur groaned. "Ari, 5 more minutes."

Arthur rolled over, his back facing Ari.

Ari eyes narrowed playfully at him, she moved to closer to him. She placed a feather light kiss on his shoulder then another a little bit higher then another slowly working her way over his shoulder then up his neck to joint of his lower jaw, a spot she found that he enjoyed quiet a lot.

Arthur moaned. He turned to capture her lips in a kiss but she pulled away and left the room. "Fine I get the hint, get up and go to London," Arthur grumbled, getting up to pack. The next morning Eames opened the door to let his teammates into the flat.

Cobb entered the flat followed by Arthur then Ari, Cobb carried the metal case which held their equipment and Ari had her leather bag with different mazes and other architectural details.

"Thanks for coming so quickly. Ok, here are the details. The Doctor, that's what they call our subject, is in a coma and they want us to figure out why," Eames said as the team sat down at a table.

"Is his mind militarized?" Cobb asked.

"Not from what I can tell," Eames answered.

"I tried looking up information on him but found nothing," Arthur stated, obviously frustrated with the lack of information recovered.

"Cept for this one person website that says he is an alien," Ari added.

"He looks human and has only one heart," Eames said, dismissing the statement.

Ari raised an eyebrow, "playing Doctor are we?" she teased.

"Of course darling," Eames replied with a smile. Arthur glared at him and pulled Ari closer to him.

Ari smiled glancing at Arthur as she leaned against him a little, her last relationship had been with a man that at every turn cheated on her so she found Arthur's possessive tendencies rather endearing.

"Ok, now that we have everything set shall we start the mission?" Cobb asked, receiving nods from his team members.

The group moved to the guest room where the Doctor lie, a girl who looked to be a few years younger than Ari sat on the edge of his bed. She glanced up at them before turn her attention back to the man. A blonde woman, her mother Ari guessed, moved toward them. "So what is it you're going to do?"

"We are going to go into his mind and see what is going on," Cobb answered.

"I'm going with you," Rose said looking back at them.

"It's too dangerous," Arthur said.

Rose let out a small laugh, "you have no idea."

Before Arthur could argue back, Cobb held up a hand. "Are you his wife or girlfriend or something?" Cobb asked.

"Neither," Rose told him, "I'm…I'm just a friend."

Cobb looked her up and down. "Fine."

"But..." Arthur began but became silent with a look from Cobb.

Rose relaxed a little when Cobb agreed, she had a bad feeling part of this had been her fault and she desperately wanted to help fix it. Arthur was giving Mickey and Jackie instruction on when and how to wake them up while Eames, Cobb and Ari got Rose and the Doctor ready. Cobb nodded to Mickey who then hit the button sending them into the dream.


	4. The Fall

Ari looked around at the hallway before them, one either side was a sting of doors, each of them different. "This wasn't in the design," she said then looked at Arthur.

Arthur shrugged sheepishly.

"While if it not your designs darling and Arthur didn't add it then who bloody did?" Eames asked.

"The Doctor," Rose said simply as she walked down the hallway glancing from on door then the next looking for one in particular, it was fairly close by she could feel it.

Arthur looked at Ari's glare. "Dear it wasn't me. I may be the dreamer but even I wouldn't change your designs without letting you know."

"I told you it's the Doctor's doing," Rose repeated.

"But how?" Cobb asked.

"That I'm not for sure on," she said.

"Ok so this 'Doctor' is in one the rooms right?" Eames said.

"Yeah," Rose said stopping, not sure the right one to look for him.

"Ok so," he moved to one door, "what's behind door number one." he pulled it open.

"EXTERMIN-" Rose then quickly slammed it closed again, the edges around the door glowed a green color.

She let out a breath then turned to Eames, "don't touch anything." she then turned and kept walking down the hallway.

Arthur stood there wide eyed. "What just happened?" He asked Cobb.

"I'm not sure."

They continued down the hallway, following Rose.

She had stopped in front of one door, it was large and steal and actually resembled a freezer door.

"His in this one," Rose told them.

"How can you tell?" Ari questioned.

Rose shrugged, "I can feel it."

Before anyone else questioned her she tried the lever handle, but it didn't budge, the room was locked. A panel on the wall beside it slide away making them jump; it revealed a blue touch keyboard, which was thankfully in English. "Can't make things easy can you Doctor," Rose said softly.

"So what now?" Eames asked.

Rose looked at the keypad for a moment, her lower lip caught between her teeth. She then reached over and almost tentatively typed in 'badwolf.' There was a click and mist trailed out from below the door; Rose tried the lever again this time the door opened freely more cold mist flooding out of the opening.

Light filtered into the room. A small figure was seen curled in the corner of the room, rocking back and forth, whimpering noises could be heard. Arthur constructed a gun and held it up as they advanced towards the figure. He looked up, his brown hair a mess everywhere. His eyes swept over everyone and landed on Rose. He quickly got up and moved to hug her; he pulled back when he felt her tense and struggle to pull away.

The man, Doctor, she had to correct herself seemed to shrink when she pulled away his deep brown eyes quickly looked down at the foggy covered floor. She instantly felt guilty for that, and was about to say something when the door behind them slammed closed, thick fog clouded and it seemed to be erased for existence.

The Doctor looked around, pulling out his sonic screwdriver.

"Rose, be careful."

"From what?" Arthur asked but their question was answered as the floor below them gave out and they began to fall.


	5. The Capture and the Surprise

Ari opened her eyes looking around, she had half expected to be back in the Tyler's flat, but she wasn't. She was sitting in a chair in a dark room; she moved to get up, correction she was tied to a chair in a dark room. "Arthur...?" she called no response, alone she was also alone.

"Arthur isn't here, am afraid he's been… disposed of," a voice laughed in the shadows.

"What do you mean?" Ari asked, worried for Arthur.

"Well...you won't know until you join him in death," the voice said, a smirk could be heard in the tone.

Ari shock her head, this was only a dream so they couldn't die. "You're insane just let me go."

"No Ari, I'm not insane, you are!" The voice roared. Suddenly the chair was gone and the room became a coffin, trapping Ari in it with no room to move. "Face it Ari, no one can save you."

Ari gasped, her eyes went wide looking around in darkness but seeing nothing, she pressed on wood lid in front of her but it didn't move, her chest start feeling tight her breathing shallow and an overpowering feeling of dread was setting in. she quickly closed her eyes her hands clenched into fists at her sides. She focused on breathing and remaining calm; she was going to be fine she just had to stay relaxed.

The dark Doctor laughed at Ari's attempts at staying calm. "It's no use, you will die here, buried alive. So deep that not even your precious Arthur can save you." With that the dark Doctor left.

Ari bit her lip trying to ignore him, but seconds seemed to turn to minutes and then to hours, she couldn't tell how long she had been there. Her hands were shaking; her whole body was actually vibrating, her heart pounding her ears.

Sweat beaded on Ari's forehead, the temperature in the little wooden coffin seemed to be getting higher all of a sudden and she felt dizzy. Her breathing was rapid and shallow; she had to get out of there before she lost her mind. She frantically clawed at the panel in front of her; it was soon slick with blood from her shredded fingers. A muffled sob escaped her as tears formed in her eyes and rolled down her cheeks.

Rose began to wake up and realized she was not alone, but she had rather that she had been though the laugh sent ice down her spine.

"Rose, lovely Rose," a male voice spoke. "I was hoping you would be joining me soon."

Rose swallowed looking around but seeing darkness and shadows, "yeah and just who would you be then?"

The figure stepped into the light. "You already know me Rose."

Rose eyes widened, he looked like the new Doctor, he was almost identical except for the cold dead eyes and evil grin also the overwhelming dark feeling he seemed to cause. Rose squeezed her eyes closed shaking her head "no, no you're not him."

"O but I am Rose, don't you remember me? I'm your Doctor," the dark Doctor hissed. The dark Doctor drew close to her face. "And I'm not letting you go you stupid ape."

"No, no you're not," Rose said vehemently, shaking her head again, "the Doctor wouldn't do this to me changed or not."

"But I did. And now no one can save you," the dark Doctor laughed. "The Doctor you knew is dead because of you, I am all that remains."

"He," Rose started then swallowed, "he was in the room with me, he's not died."_ He can't be._

"Well believe what you want but my dear Rose, I only speak truth," the dark Doctor said, a smile on his face before he left the room.

Tears formed in Rose's eye, he was lying, he had to be. The Doctor couldn't be died, she start to really see now how it was her fault. It was her fault this new Doctor was hurting but he couldn't really be gone too, could he?

The Doctor's body shook with sobs, his brown hair was more unruly than usual and his body seemed to lack very little strength. 10 minutes after the dark Doctor had left the cold holding cell, the door opened again but the figure was a few inches shorter than the dark Doctor.

"It's ok, I will get you out of here," the voice said, twanged with a northern accent.

"You can't be here," the Doctor said in a weak voice.

"Of course I'm not supposed to but you let a bloody ape mess things up with the regeneration process. Now go save Rose and show her how fantastic you are while I get the others free," the man said after releasing the Doctor.


	6. Running

The Doctor nodded to his previous self and ran off to free Rose.

The 9th Doctor had retrieved everyone but Ari and they were currently heading full steam to rescue her from whatever trap the dark Doctor had set up. Once they got to the room Arthur cursed under his breath as he saw a small coffin in the middle of the dark room. He pushed the others out of his way and bolted to the coffin, trying to pry the lid off.

Ari heard the panel in front of her creaking; it was her mind playing tricks on her. She shivered, she felt cold and dizzy and her chest was too tight to breath, she really was going to die in there. She blinked as light flooded in suddenly.

Arthur helped Ari out of the coffin and pulled her close, trying to calm her down. "It's ok love, I'm here, I'm here." Ari's legs gave out from under her, but Arthur held her up.

"I didn't...I didn't know if...if I going to see you again," she said weakly as she hugged, tears of relief starting to flow down her cheeks.

"You're fine dear. I've got you," Arthur said, kissing Ari's head.

"Ok, as heartwarming as this is, I need to get you back with my future self and Rose so we can figure out how to defeat this dark Doctor," the 9th Doctor said, crossing his arms and rolling his eyes.

Ari blinked at him actually really just noticing him for the first time, "Future what? Who are you?"

"I'm the Doctor, now come along you daft apes!" the 9th Doctor called as he turned around and quickly walked away from the group.

"Load of fun he is," Eames said. Arthur nodded in agreement.

"Nothing about this job makes sense anymore," Ari sighed as they moved to follow him. "This is over I'm taking a vacation." Having just experienced her own person hell she deserved that didn't she.

"Anything you want love," Arthur said sweetly, giving her a brief kiss.

The Doctor found the door that held her strapped to a chair. He dashed over and quickly undid the straps and moved back as she got out of the chair.

Rose stood a little shaky; she swallowed looking directly at the Doctor for first time since he came in the door. She quickly looked away, she had hurt him, she hadn't even realized she had, how could she not have? "Are…are the others alright?"

The Doctor's eyes turned dark. "I don't know, we should go see," he said before walking out the door, leaving Rose to follow him.

The group ran to catch up with the 9th Doctor and as they were turning a corner they almost ran into Rose and the 10th Doctor.

Rose mouth opened in surprise at the sight of the 9th Doctor. With a though about it she hugged him tightly then she kissed him.

The 9th Doctor's eyes opened in surprise but they quickly closed as he returned the kiss, pulling her closer to him by the hips. The 10th Doctor took a step back and looked away at the floor, trying desperately to ignore the feeling of his hearts shattering. The dark Doctor's words echoed in his head, "You will never be good enough; you're not her Doctor and never will be."

Angry tears filled his eyes but he refused to let them fall. Eames nudged Cobb and pointed at the 10th Doctor. Catching the hint, Cobb stepped in and said, "So how do we defeat the dark Doctor?"

The two were broken from their own world and Rose hugged him again before pulling away, her eyes watering slightly. "Going to miss you," she told him not paying much attention to what going around her

"You don't need old daft me," the 9th Doctor said, smiling. "You've got pretty boy me over there."

"Yeah," Rose softly she had already messed things up between them would he still want her after that. She smacked his arm "didn't you think it may have been a good idea to mention this whole 'if I die I don't really but I will change' thing before. Would have been nice to have known what bloody hell was going on."

The 9th Doctor rubbed the back of his neck. "Well I tried but it's so normal for time lords that I didn't really think about it. It's like trying to explain to a human why it is necessary to blink."

"Still a warning would have been nice," she says then glances over at the tenth Doctor

He was looking at the ground, a cloud of hurt and despair around him.

Rose looked down then back to the 9th Doctor, she wasn't sure how to approach him now; she had messed things up already.

Just then the group looked around them as the walls began to come closer together; a lite was seen at one end of the hallway. The 9th Doctor grabbed Rose's hand and yelled "Run!"

The others did as they were told and ran, the 9th Doctor pulled Rose past the 10th who seemed hesitant at first, impulsively she grabbed hold of his hand urging him to run with her.

The 10th Doctor looked at their linked hands and felt hope rising but stomped it down when he looking at the 9th Doctor and Rose's linked hands.

The group had managed to get into a large room at the end the hallway, the walls remained unmoving though. The 9th Doctor released Rose's hand; she had yet to let go of the 10th Doctor's hand though. "Now what?" Ari asked as they caught their breath.

The 10th Doctor looked at Rose out of the corner of his eye as she let go of the 9th Doctors hand. He didn't know whether to trust his hope or ignore it. Both the 9th and 10th Doctor began to scan the room with their sonic screwdrivers.

"Anything?" Rose asked him.

Ari stood close beside Arthur who held her close with an arm around her waist; she still shook slightly but was starting to calm down again. Arthur kissed Ari's head.

"It will be ok love just calm down I'm here." The Doctors looked at Rose at the same time.

"There is no sign of a filter covering a door," the 9th Doctor said.

"Nor does there seem to be anything outside of this room," the 10th supplied.

"But we just got into here through a hallway and door," Eames argued.

"Well its gone now," the 9th Doctor growled.

"So we're stuck here," Rose said softly, unconsciously moving a little closer to the 10th Doctor, "well could be worse suppose."

The 10th Doctor smiled.


	7. Healing from the Dark

Cobb, Eames, Arthur, and Ari had moved together to discuss what do now, they only had maybe an hour now till Mickey started the kick. Rose glanced down before looking at the 10th Doctor, while she had to do something to start fixing the mess didn't her. She pulled him to the side of the room out of earshot of the rest.

"What I have gathered is that this dark Doctor is an extra part of the Doctors consciousness," Arthur stated.

"Just figure that out now did you?" Eames shot back receiving a glare back from Arthur.

The 10th Doctor looked at Rose with a questioning look while the 9th Doctor leaned against the wall with a smile as he watched his next self with Rose.

Rose sighed softly as she looked up at the 10th Doctor, "I need to tell you that I'm sorry." The Doctor looked at her questioningly, "That I acted the way I had when you changed, it's just all of a sudden you are who you were then next moment your look like a completely new person and…" Rose looked down her eyes watering a little, "and I thought I'd lost you, but I end up pushing you away and I'm sorry, so sorry I did that."

The Doctor engulfed her in a tight hug. "It's ok Rose I forgive you"

"How?" Rose said hugging him back her face nestled under his chin, "How can you do that so easily?"

"Because you're my Rose."

Just then the Doctor was thrown across the room.

The 9th Doctor growled and glared at the laughing dark Doctor.

"I can't believe you all are still trying to escape because of this pathetic human? Worthless." The dark Doctor threw her into the wall by her hair.

"Just tell us what you want," Arthur said.

"I want control," the dark Doctor answered.

Rose gasped when the dark Doctor pulled her Doctor away from her. "Doctor," she yelled as he was thrown across the room landing in a heap on the floor. She moved to run to him and that was when the dark Doctor had grabbed her, she yelped when her made painful contact with wall. She held a hand over the throbbing spot on the back over her head; her eyes clenched shut in pain.

Both Doctor's growled and moved to attack the dark Doctor.

"Don't take another step" the dark Doctor said, holding a fully loaded gun towards Rose.

Rose, who had slid to sit on the floor, opened her eyes again but still couldn't focus. When she tried to focus on anything in the blurry room her head pounded. Rose looked at the dark Doctor, and even though everything was rather fuzzy she could still make out the shape of a gun pointed at her.

"Some Doctor you'd be," she told him barely loud enough to be heard, "since when did the Doctor use a gun."

The dark Doctor snarled. "You think you're so smart don't you, you pathetic insect. I am everything the Doctor is not" with that he raised the gun towards her.

"No!" Both of the Doctors' yelled but it was too late, the dark man pulled the trigger and shot Rose in the head.

Arthur looked at Eames nodded, pulling out their own guns and pointing it towards the dark Doctor. While the man was laughing, he didn't notice the two Doctor's stomping towards him. The 9th Doctor punched him in the face, a snarl ripping from his throat as he continued to punch his darker form a few more times. When the dark Doctor was near the wall the 10th Doctor slammed him up against it.

"You just did the one thing that gives us a reason to not only fight but kill you," he growled.

Rose eyes flew up barely seeing the room around her before they clenched shut again as her mind was flooded with pain. She placed hands on either side of her head as if to keep her skull from splitting. Mickey knelt in front of her a hand on her shoulder keep her falling off the bed she was sitting on.

"Rose what happened? What's wrong?" He asked when she groaned in pain. Jackie had not been in the room but now return hearing the commotion.

"Rose, are you alright sweetheart?" She asked worriedly sitting beside her a hand on her back.

"Ye…yeah" Rose said as the pain lessened. "I'm alright now."

The 10th Doctor took the gun and pointed it at the dark Doctor's head.

"Wait a minute!" Eames yelled, surprised by the turn of events.

"Doctor put the gun down. Do you really want to resemble this guy in anyway?" The 9th Doctor asked cautiously. The 10th Doctor continued to hold the gun at the dark Doctor's head, breathing hard. "Come on shoot. I killed Rose. Prove to her we are the same person," The dark man taunted.

"But you're not the same person," Ari told the Doctor, "She would never want you to be him."

"Maybe you should lay down dear," Jackie told Rose a minute or two after she had woken up.

"I'm fine."

"Rose you have a killer headache," Jackie said, "and don't say ya don't cause I can tell, now go lay down for a bit."

"I need to be here when the Doctor wakes up."

"Rose," Jackie said her voice rising slightly, "go lay down we can get you when he wakes up." Rose sighed and finally did as she was asked and went to lay down her room for a while.

Mickey checked the time and moves to place the head phones over Arthur's ears then clicked the play button starting the kick.

Arthur looked up as he heard the music. He then nodded to the group. "Doctor we need to go"

Ari blinked looking at the ceiling of the room; she sat up removing her IV. She looked over at Cobb who had just woken up too; she moved to sit beside Arthur who hadn't woken up quite yet.

Arthur blinked his eyes as he came out of the dream. Just then there was a commotion as the Doctor bolted up and looked around the room. "Rose? Rose?" The Doctor called in a panic. He bolted out of the room and through the flat, calling for Rose as he opened every room. Finally he opened the door to Rose's room and froze.

Rose had been laying on her bed reclined on some pillows her eyes where closed as she listened to music through a set of headphones. Have not heard or seen the Doctor come in the room in her almost dozing state.

The Doctor ran over to her and hugged her tight.

Rose opened her eyes at the sudden unexpected hug, "What are you doing up?" she said confused hugging him back. "Mum was supposed to get me so I could be there when you got up."

"You're alive, you're ok," he kept saying over and over in a panic, not letting her out of the hug

"Yeah I'm ok Doctor," Rose told him hugging him a little tighter. "So glad you're awake."

"I'm sorry I changed Rose but it was to save myself."

"It's okay," Rose told him. "It's ok," Rose murmured her face buried into his chest

The Doctor laid his cheek on the top of her head. "Please don't leave. Come travel with me where I can show you the stars and planets and the galaxies."

"Course I will," she promised him. "Forever," she added with smile

The Doctor pulled back only far enough to look at Rose and smile at her.

"Ello," Rose said smiling back at him, her blue eyes looking into his deep brown. They were close, their noses almost touching.

The Doctor looked at her lips then back up to her eyes, leaning in slightly.

Without thought or hesitation Rose leaned in too bridging the gap, her eyes fluttering closed.

The Doctor kissed Rose softly but with fierce passion.

Rose sighed softly, happily into the kiss, neither moved for a while till the Doctor pulled away so she could breathe, causing her to pout slightly.

The Doctor chuckled.


End file.
